Assembling mechanism for casting machines



Feb. 15 192 7 E. CARLSON ASSEMBLING MECHANSM FOR CASTING MACHINES 4sheets-snm 1 Filed April l4. 1926 Feb. 15 1927.

E. CARLSON AssEMBLING MECHANISM F013 CASTING MACHINES Filed April 14,1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Feb. 15 1927. 1,617,577

E. CARLSON ASSEMBLING MECHANLSM FOR CASTING MACHINES Filed April 14.192e 4 sheets-sheets 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 E. CARLSON www Filed April 14.1926 Feb.` 15 1927.

Patented Feb. 15, 1927.'

UNITED STATES `PATENT oFFlcE.

ERIC CARLSON, OF CHICAGO,- ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO STEWART MANUFACTURINGCORPORATION, F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

ASSEMBLING MECHANISM FOR CASTING MACHINES;

Application led April 14, 1926. Serial No. 101,854.

The purpose of this invention is to provide a means for assembling adesired nurnber of plates which are to be eventually held permanently'in parallel relation by securement or partial imbedmentin a die casting, particularly designed for assembling the plates of an electriccondenser and the like which is, to be completed by casting theplate-retaining metal vabout. a corresponding portion of all plates. ltconsists 1n the elementsand features ot construction shown and describedas indicated in the claims.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of the upper part ot amachine embodying this inventionu Figure 2 is a front end elevation ofthe machine.

Fiofure f1 is a. vertical section at the line '-1--4- on Figure 1.

Figure 5 isa horizontal section at the line. 5 5 on Figure 1. e

Figure 6 is a. plan view oi a condenser \elemcnt comprising plates ofone 'torni which the machine is adapted to assemble in a die member inwhich the devcie is to be completed by casting.

Figure. 7 is a section at the line 7--7 on Figure (l. l Figure H is aView similar to Figure t', showing a condenser elementl (fo-.operativewith the condenser element. shown iu Figure (i.

Figure 9`Iis a section at the line 9 0 on Figure 8.

Figure 10 is a front elevation of a die member to be carried in themachine 'lor being loaded with the )lates and masking the portion ofthem wlnch is not to be enclosed in the casting when said die memberwith the plates assembled init is associated with the remainderlot thedie for the. casting process.

l-`igure. 11 is a section at the line 11--11 on Figure 10, showingindotted lines the plates as4 they are to be inserted by the machine. 4

Figure 12 is a section at the line 12-12 on Figure 10, cutting throughone ot the plate-receiving slots ot the die member. and

showing a plate in the position 'in which it will be inserted in theslot by the machine.

Figure 13 shows in side elevation several.`

interchangeable cams, and Figure 14 shows similarly severalcorresponding interchangeable ratchet disks, said cams anddisks to beinterchanged in the machines according to the nlunber of plates to beassembled in the die member according to the number of slots with whichthe die member is provided for receiving the plates.

The machine shown in the drawings comprises a carrier for a die memberindicated at A in Figure 1 and seen in Figures 10 and 11, which isadapted to be mounted in the machine for being loaded with the plates tobe carried with said die member in the die in the casting process bywhich the condenser element is completed, and a magazine shown at B inlFigure 1 for containinga pile ot the plates D which it is the functionof the machine to assemble in the die member, lwhich latter is formedfor enclosing and masking all of the area of said plates except thesmall portion thereof whic-h is to be imbedded in the metal. to be castaround that portion in the die. The function and operation ot themachine consists in thrusting the plates` one by one, into the apertureswith which the die member is provided, dimensioned for drive it ot theplates therein. And the machine for that purpose comprises means forcarrying the die member. step by step, past the plane oF the support ofthe pile of plates in the magazine, halting it a'lter each step with oneof the plate-receiving` slots registered with the bottom plate of thepile, and, during the halt', thrusting the bottom plate by means of athrust bar into the slot, the thrust bar withdrawing atter the thrustwhile the die member is advanced to bring the next slot in registrationWith the next plate of the pile which descends by gravity to the planeot the thrust bar ready for the next thrusting movement. The machine isconstructed for automatically giving the die member and the thrust barthe movements described in thepropcr alternation, and for returning thedie member to original position when it is fully loaded andautomatically halting the mechanism for removal of the die member insubstitution of another die member to be similarly loaded with plates.

The structure-in detail may be described .as follows It comprises a l'rame structure consisting ot the base frame, 10. and an upper frame, 11,mounted upon the base frame, both Llll l'ramcs being shown as metalcastings. C represents conventionally an electric motor mounted in thebase frame. 'having its shaft extending out to the lett hand side of thetrame and carrying a pulley, 14, which drivesI a belt, l5, passingaround a. pulley, 16, journaled toward the rear end ot' the base frame,a slack take-up pulley, 17, being provided carried by a lever frame, 18,on the pivotal shalt, 19, mounted in the base frame, the take-up beingell'ected by a counter-weight indicated at ITL on the longer arm ot thelever frame. `ligid with the pulley, 16, is a small pulley, 20, aboutwhich a belt, 2l, extends to and about a pulley', 22, which is journalcdon a tubular bushing, 23, mounted in the left hand side web ot' theupper frame, 1l, and constituting a journal bearing ot a shaft, 24,which extends across the trame protruding at the left hand side l'orcarrying a clutch collar, 25, co-operates with a clutch member, 22,formed on the hub of the pulley, 22, for deriving from the pulley, 22,rotary driving t'or the shaft, 24, thc two clutch members being engagedand disengaged as hereinafter described.

On thc shaft, 2--l-, there is made fast inside the upper trame, l1, aneccentric, 26, and outside said frame a crank wheel, 27. With theeccentric, 26, there is associated an eccentric link connection, 2H thelink extending upwardly and being connected at its upper end wit-h abell crank lever, 29, tulcrumed on the l'rame as seen at 30, and havingits upwardly extending arm, 31, connected to a slide, 37, forreciprocating a thrust bar, 32, which is mounted for sliding on aslideway, 33, provided at the upper end ot' the forward part ot thetrame, 11. The connection from the bell crank for operating the thrustbar consists of the link, 34, adjustable as to its operative length byscrewing through 'unts, 35 and 36, at its opposite ends, the nut, 35,being pivoted to the lever arm, 31, of the bell crank lever, and the nut36, being mounted also pivotally on the end of the thrust bar carryingslide, 37.

The crank Wheel, 27, has a crank wrist, 40, connected by a forkedpitman, 41, with a pair oli' lever arms, 42, 42, which are mounted' loroscillation upon a shaft, 43, journalcd in the frame and carryingbetween said leverarms, a ratchet disk, 44, said lever arms` 42,carrying on the pivot otl the forked lever to said lever arms, a pawl,45, which is pressed in a spring, 46, toward the periphery ot theratchet disk for engaging with the ratchet teeth thereof to rotate theratchet Wheel' and thereby the shaft, 43, one step upon eachreciprocation ot' the pitman at each revolution of the sha-ft, 24. Faston the shaft, 43, inside the frame there is secured a cam wheel, 50,having its cam edge eccentric in successive steps, 50, 50", 50, etc.,progressively increasing in eccentricity in the reverse ot the directionof rotation of the cam Wheel with theshat't, 43, the angular extent ofthe eccentric stops of the cam corresponding to the. angular intervalbet-Ween the ratchet teeth ot' the ratchet Wheel, 44, but dropping ottlat the last step from the maximum to the initial eccentricity asindicated at 55.

ln the upper frame member there :is mounted for vertical reciprocation a"arrier,

60, for the die member, A, said carrier having journaled betweendownwardly projecting lugs, 6l, 61, a cam roll, 62, which rides upon theperiphery of the cam disk, 50, whereby the rotation of the cam lifts thecarrier, step by step, throughout the increasing eccentricity of the camsteps to the maximum, the roll, 62, dropping oil' from the cam at itsmaximum eccentricity back to the point of least eccentricity as thecarrier descends by gravity after having been lifted, step lby step, tothe highest point for which the cam is constructed.

From Figures 6 and 8 it will be seen that the plates, D, are formed withdove-tail notches, (l, into which the metal Hows inthe casting process,effecting a secure engagement of eachplate with the hub or stem,

D1, by which they are reta-ined in proper l assembled relation for thepurpose of an electric condenser element.

-In Figures 13 and 14 are shown int-erchangeable cams, 50, andcorresponding interchangeable ratchet disks, 44, which will hesubstituted in the machine by selection according to the number ofplates to be assembled in the diel member, and for which the latter hasa corresponding number o'l slots. The interchange of ratchet cams andratchet disks is facilitated by the detail construction shown,consisting in that the shaft, 43, is withdrawable upon slacking the setscrew, 50, which secures the cam, 50, as to its position longitudinallyof the shaft, 43, a key, 50h, serving to secure it for rotation with theshaft. f

For the function of the clutch, 22, 25, the clutch collar, 25, isfeathered for sliding on the shaft, 24, the necessary distance forengaging and disengaging the clutch teeth; and it is peripherallygrooved at 25 4tor engagement of a lork, 3H, which terminates an arm,3S, which is carried on the lei't hand end olil a shaft, 46, whichextends through the frame, 11. having at its right'. hand end a crosshandle, 46, for operating it, and to co-operate in locking it asbereinafter described. A spring, 47, coiled on the shaft, 46, betweenits bearing in the left hand side of the trame and the hub of the arm,38, reacts for holding the clutch member, 25, out of engagement with themember, 22a. On the right hand side of the frame, 11, there is`fulcrumed atl 51 a lever,

- 52, whose longer arm extends in the direc- Cri tion to be engagedbehind the cross handle, 46, of the clutch operating shaft, 46, when theshaft. is at withdrawn position for engaging the clutch; and a spring,48, is provided attached to the frame and to the lever, 52, for holdingthe lever in the position shown in -Figure l behind said cross arm atthe withdrawn position of the shaft, 46.. The

. shorter arm, 52, of the lever, 52, terminates inan abutment, 52h,which is positioned in the plane-of rotation of a disk-like flange, 43",formed integrally on the shaft, 43, and having a cam projection, 43",which encounters the abutment, 52", in the last step of the rotation ofthe ratchet disk and cam,l and by saidI encounter rocks the lever, 52,out of engagement with the cross handle, 46, thereby releasing theshaft, 46, and causing the spring, 47, to operate for thrusting theshaft in the direction for disengaging the clutch,- which disengagement,it will be understood, occurs vupon the completionof the last upwardstep movement of the car-- rier, 60,.and While the carrier is descendingas, the cam roll, 62, moves down 'along the slope, 55, of the cam to theinitial position at the start of the first or lowest eccentricity. ofthe cam.

The operationl of the machine may be ,understood from the foregoingrdescription, but may be further indicated as follows:

The die member-'to be loaded with plates 'having been selected andmounted in the carc rier, 60, and a cam, 50, and a ratchet disk,

44, being selected,` having the number of cam steps and ratchet teethcorresponding to the number 'of slots'in the die member, and heiligplaced in position on the shaft, 43, the necessary number of platesbeing placed in the magazine, ll, the machine is startedfby the operatorpulling the clutcl1.'sl1'ifting (it)A lever shaft 46 outwardly andthereby moving the clutch member, into position for' engaging theco-operatin clutch member 22il on the hub of the pu ley, 22, which is inrevolution, being driven by the motor; and thereupon the clutch membersbecoming engaged, and the machine is operated in all its parts, causingthe thrust bar, 32, to eject from the`- pile of plates contained in themagazine, the bottom plate which lies immediately in advance of thethrust bar and in registration with the uppermost slot of the diemember, into which, accordingly, the plate is thrust to the limit of thestroke of `the thrust bar, which is also the limit of' the slot in thediecmember. During. the `retraction of the thrust bar Which immediatelyfollows its. operating stroke, the first cam `eccent'rioity comes intooperation for uplifting the carrier, 60, carrying the 'die member up onestep, and bringing the A next slot into registration with the next plateof the pile which, upon the complete retraction of the thrust bar, hasfallen with the descent of the entire pile, into the place vacated bythe ejected plate, and thereupon, the operation is repeated; and uponeach succeeding revolution of the shaft, 24, giving a step movement tothe ratchet disk and to the cam, an additional plate is thrust from thepile into thev die member until the last or lowest slot of the diemember is filled in the final step of rotation of the cam disk by whichit arrives at the original starting position, the cam projection, 43, onthe flange, 43", encounters the abutment, 52h, of the short arm of thelever, 62, causing the lever to be rocked, and its longer arm to beWithdrawn from behind the cross handle, 46a, of the clutch operatingshaft, 46; whereupon the spring, 47, reacts for disengaging the clutch,and the machine slows downwhile the cam roll, 62, on the carrier, 60,Which co-operates with the cam, is descending along the edge, 55, of thelcam to initial position at the commencement of the lowest cameccentricity, 50, and the machine comes to rest vwith the parts atinitial position, ready for repetition of the cycle of movements uponthe substitution of another die member for the one which is now fullloaded withplates and ready to be remove The belt, 21, is provided witha slacktake-up pulley, 39, carried by a frame, 39, on a pivot shaft,39h, and operating on the belt by gravity.

For the purpose of preventing over-actuation of the ratchet disk44, andshaft, 43, at each pawl stroke, and especially to insure that the partscoming to rest at the completion of the cycle of the cam, 50, there isprovided a friction brake device comprising a pair of arms, 65, 65,mounted loosely on the right-hand end of the shaft, 16, of the pulley,16, which shaft protrudes slightly for that purpose, said arms extendingalongside the ratchet disk, 44, and! having friction pads, a, which arepressed against the` opposite sides of the disk by a spring, 66, coiledaround the shaft, 16, between the ends of the arms, 65, 65, and reactingto spread. said ends of the arms apart, a die bolt 67, mounted intheframe being extended through said arm, 65, and having outside the armsrespectively, adjusting nuts, 68, which, being screwed toward eachother, form fulcrums for the arms respectively, over which' they pivotfor pressing the pads toward each other against the ratchet disk underthe reaction of the springs spreading apart the opposite ends of thearms. v

Although the formation of the die member, in which the plates areassembled by this machine, constitute no part of the present invention,it may be noted that this die member is 'preferably .built of la'min andllO Lili

spacer strips for forming between the laminee the slots whose width isthe thickness of the spacer strips, and that the lamin thus spaced forforming the intervening slots, Vare each spaced substantially inconformi with the face o f Vthe plates to be entere between them, as maybe seen at 71 in Figure 5, wherein the lower 'laminas at the slot atwhich the section is made, is seen and indicated at 7l,

1. Ina machine for the purpose indicated in combination with a framestructure, a' reciprocable carrier for a die member and thelike, amagazine for plates to be mounted in the diemember, a reciprocablethrust-bar for ejecting the plates, one by one, from the` magazine'intothe die member; operating meansY for advancing the die member carriertransversel with respect to the position of the plates 1n the magazine,operating means for reciprocating the thrust bar, a power shaft andconnections therefrom for actuating the carrier-operating means and thethrust bar operating means adapted to time said' movements inalternation with each,

other for first positioning the die member with its plate-receivingopenings in alignment with the thrust bar, and next operating the thrustbar.

. 2. In the construction dened in claim l, the carrier actuating meansbeing. a cam progressively stepped, and means for moving' thesame stepby step, the cam steps being dimensioned correspondingly to the pacingof the plate-receiving openings bf the die menfiber.`

-3. In the -camstruetion defined in claim 1, the carrier actuating meansVbeing a rotatebie cam having circumerentially seccessive stepsincreasing in eecentricity progressively in the reverse of the directionof rotation; a ratchet wheel mounted. for rotation with the cam and areciprocating pawl for actuating the ratchet wheel to rotate the camstep by step. I

il. In the construction defined in claimfl,

I the plate magazine being adapted for holding'the plates piled therein,whereby they are held-in close succession by gravity, the means foroperating the carrier being adapted for giving it step-by-step movementvrupward, and permitting downward movenient vin a single stepr at theend of a 'predetermined number of upward steps, the die member carrierbeing adapted for hold- 'ing the die member in direct-ly transverse re#lation to the direction of delivery of the plates from the magazine.

5. In the construction defined in claim l, the plate magazine beingadapted for holdthe plates piled'therein forfdescending by gravity, thethrust bar being positioned fer encountering and ejecting from the pilethebottom plate qi the pile, the die member carrier being adapted forholding the die member in directly transverse relation to the directionof delivery of the plates from the magazine.

6. In the constructionl dened in claim 1, foregoing, the die membercarrier being arranged with respect to its actuating means for makingthe step movement upwardly, and adapted to be returned by gravity to itsstarting position, a dash pot on the frame structure and a plungerpiston carried by the die member carrier cooperatlng with thc dash potin the descending movement of the carrier for damping said descendingmovement.

7 In the construction defined in claim l, the power shaft having aneccentricoperat- -ing connection with ,the thrust bar .for reciprocatingthe latter, and havingl also an eccentric operating connection with thepawl for giving step by step movement to the cam, said eccentricoperating `connections bcng relatively positioned about the casting ofsaid shaft for actuating t-he cam during the retraction of the thrustbar.

8. In a machine for the purpose indicated in combination with a framestructure, a carrier for a plate-receiving die member, a plate magazine,a.v t-hrust bar for ejecting plates from the magazine into the diemember on said carrier, Operating means for the carrier for moving ittransversely to the- -plate-receiving 'openings of the die membercarrier thereimin steps corresponding to the spacing of said openings,and operating means for tl1ethrust bar for giving 1t its thrust movementin alteration with the step movements ot the carrier. v

9. In the construction delined in claim 8, a, power shaft mounted in theframe structure, a rotatable shaft parallel thereto, a. cam oli thelatter shaft rotated thereb having circumferentiallysuccessive graduatedcam steps of uniformly increasing eccentric- 'ity in the reverse of thevdirection of rotation of theshaft, and. dropping o from the step ofgreatest eccentricity tofthat of least eccentricity; a ratchet wheel onsaid second shaft, a pawl cooperating with said ratchet wheel; crank andpitman connection from the power shaft to said pawl for giving the pawla feeding stroke in each complete rotation of the power shaft, thegraduated steps ot' the cam corresponding in angular extent to theangular interval between the ratchet teeth and between the pawl strokes;whereby the carrier is actuated one step for each complete rotation of.the power shaft.

l0. In a construction as defined in claim l, means for advancing thecarrier, step by step, to position the die member for receiving a plateat each position reached by the successive steps, a disengageable clutchin the driving connection, means for locking able clutch in the drivingconnections; means for locking it at engaged position for driving,yielding means for disengaging it when released from the` locking means,and means carried by the rotating carrier operating shaft for releasingthe locking means after a predetermined number of steps.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Chicago, Illinois,this 9th day of April, 1926. i

ERIC CARLsoN.

